Jaffa the old world orange with a political history

SHAMOUTI or JAFFA ORANGE.

The ShamoutI or Jaffa Orange has a long and very interesting history, as many “old world” citrus varieties do. However this particular citrus fruit has a political story that is both fascinating and complex.

Once the Shamouti orange was Israel’s most revered export, bred as an easy peel orange it is almost seedless and the fruit sold full of middle Eastern sunshine and exoticness

The ‘Brand’ Jaffa captured the European and American market. Hollywood celebrities promoting both the fruit and the juice of Jaffa, the name became synonymous with oranges, good health and deliciousness.

The picking and packing of the fruit employed thousands of peasants and workers from Palestine, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, that was until 1948 when the bombs fell in the Arab – Israeli war and took out orchard after orchard of Shamouti Oranges.

Shamouti is a lovely tree to grow, it has elegant slightly arching branches it enjoys growing in cool to cold zones and produces a beautifully fragrant, easy to peel and segment orange that is a both excellent for eating and juicing